Mark Warburton admits Rangers were lucky to get the controversial red card decision which threw the balance of their clash with Queen of the South the Ibrox side's way.

Gers were a goal up at Palmerston but hardly dominating when Queens striker Derek Lyle was sent off after a face-off with Rangers defender Rob Kiernan.

Lyle definitely pushed his head towards the former Wigan defender's but there was little malice intended.

However, fourth official Crawford Allan saw the flashpoint differently and urged referee Bobby Madden to show Lyle red.

Gers went on to complete a comprehensive 5-1 drubbing of the Doonhamers as Warburton became the first Gers boss since Bill Struth in 1920 to win his first eight games in charge.

Warburton said: "The red card was very, very harsh I've got to say. I'm only speaking my mind and you've got to be very careful with what you say about match officials but for me that was a big call right at the start of the second half.

"I didn't see more than two guys throwing handbags at each other and at the end of the day two yellow cards or a yellow card maybe does it. But it's happened now."

Queens boss James Fowler also disagreed with the decision, saying: "It was the fourth official who gave it. If it was aggressive behaviour with the two players involved with Derek standing his ground when a player walks towards him, then I don't know ... you'd maybe need to ask the fourth official about that because he was the one that gave the decision.

"I think sometimes that one person could be more aggressive than the other, but when Derek is standing his ground and then the heads come together - maybe Derek gestured towards him, but it was head to head originally so I would have thought if he had given two yellows then I don't think either player would have had a complaint."

Andy Halliday put Rangers ahead before Martyn Waghorn slotted away two second-half penalties.

Jason Holt and Barrie McKay also scored from close range as the swashbuckling Light Blues extended their scoring tally to 30 goals in just eight games so far this term.

But while Warburton continues to attract the adulation from his team's supporters, he preferred to turn the focus back onto his players.

"(Matching the Struth record) is great for the players and it's got to be about them," he said.

"If we can maintain that focus it is going to be important for us. It's down to their achievements.

"They have come here since the first day of pre-season and applied themselves so well, so the eight wins are down to them."